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30 March 2014

I thought I would share a really quick and easy project with you. Mum mentioned last year when I was busy making hair clips for Poppy's party that she would love a version as a brooch. Great idea I thought.... so here's what I made as a gift for her for Mothers day.

To start off with, you'll need to print off the pattern. To do so, highlight the picture below, then 'Right' click on your mouse, then select 'Open in a new window' and then print using the keys 'CTRL' and 'P'. Please feel free to re-size the pattern should you wish.

Just a little note...make sure that your stitches go through the loop and the back of the bow only, you do not want to see them from the front.

The stitches securing the brooch pin will hold the tail neatly in position.

As you did before, make sure these stitches go through the tail and the back of the bow, you do not want to see them from the front...... (sorry I know I'm repeating myself!)

.....and that's it you're all done!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and feel tempted to give it a go......let me know how you get on and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! Right I'm off to make one for myself and to eat the chocolates Poppy and Jamie got me for Mothers Day. I hope that if you're a Mum you too have had a lovely day!

29 March 2014

I thought I would start a new weekly post where I share my favourite picks from this weeks new arrivals...be warned there's a colourful mix of fabric, buttons, ribbons and trims coming up!!

First up, we had 5 new Kona Cottons arrive, including 3 new skin tones perfect for Doll Making. If you haven't worked with Kona Cottons before they are simply gorgeous to use. We currently have 15 colours available which we have cherry picked to co-ordinate with our most popular patterned cottons, with more on their way.

Dusty Blue Essex Linen also joined the ranks. I love these shades and I am particularly drawn to Rose, I think it's a grown up pink with it's browny tones....can you imagine a Diplomat tunic made in it for the summer, oh yes, now there's an idea!

We also had 8 shades of cotton webbing delivered. This is what I used for the bag handles on Poppy's ballet bag, it would also be perfect for (posh) apron ties, making key fobs oh and I've also used it for a little clutch handle....but more of that next week it's a birthday present which hasn't be opened yet!

My favourite new arrival was these fabulous large wooden star buttons. Dare I mention (whispers) Christmas, but I know these are going to feature in my festive makes for sure!

We've also been working on a new selection of our popular Bundle Bags...if you've not seen these before, each one combines a perfectly co-ordinating mix of fabrics, fabulous felt, gorgeous ribbon, scrummy buttons, and colour twine.

That's it for this week, but there are lots more goodies are due in and you should see all the fabric we have on order for the next few weeks and months...very exciting!!

26 March 2014

Poppy's new ballet bag is finished and I'm pleased to report that it's a hit!!

It's been 11 months since I made the huge changes to gain a more balanced working/family life. One of the many things that has subsequently given me so much pleasure, is finding the time to make things for my family and home. I can not believe that Poppy is 6 already, I was so precariously in danger of her growing up and missing the opportunity to make her pretty and sweet things. Thank goodness I came to my senses in time.

Sorry.... I digress, I loved stitching this embroidery, for one it was relatively quick, it was also a change to use just one colour of thread, rather than creating one of my usual colourful creations. I did however stick to my favourite stitches..... back stitch in the main, lazy daisies on the border, satin stitch for the eyes and french knots for the details on the dress.

......I was thinking of writing a tutorial for how I make my tote bags......would you like that? Let me know. In the meanwhile, if you would like to stitch the fairy, she's available as a pattern HERE and HERE....

Thank you as always to listening to my ramblings, it's so lovely to share them with you and to hear what you think. I'll be back soon, with a crochet update.....my little pile of grannies is growing!

24 March 2014

Remember my sewing chair from my little tour post. I grew up sitting on this chair as it came from my parents first dining room set. It has been reupholstered many times in its long life and to be fair was overdue another. So this weekend out came some of my favourite Cath Kidston florals.......

and with a lick of pretty pink paint.......

it was transformed!

Next up, the chest of drawer to the left of my chair and the little wooden ones under the table. Thanks as always for all your lovely comments on my last post! I'll be back soon with a Ta Dah moment, as I've also finished Poppy's ballet bag. I hope that you had a lovely weekend.

19 March 2014

........ when you've done all your chores, everyone is content with what they are doing and you take the opportunity to sit down in the peace and quiet with a hot mug of tea. You open your bag, you feel like a child opening your Christmas stocking, and with delight pull out a stack of completed little Granny Squares. You pick up your hook, choose your yarn and set to quietly creating the next little square of joy. That's the moment and it makes me very happy....... very happy indeed.

16 March 2014

Remember the little fairy I sketched and started embroidering a few weeks ago, well I finally got round to finishing her. She's stitched on a piece of pale pink linen I had lurking in my stash and I used 2 strands of lovely chocolate brown embroidery thread. She's taking pride of place on a little bag I'm making for Poppy to take her tap and ballet shoes to her dance classes........

I just need to add a little hand quilting and then it should come together quickly...well that is along as I do not get distracted by Granny squares! Enjoy your Sunday evening.

15 March 2014

Like many families working on quite a tight budget, clothes don't rank highly in our priorities, helped by the fact that Andy wears a uniform and working for myself, I generally live in jeans and cardi's. The biggest clothing expense that we have though is school uniforms. Like many therefore, when I can pick up a bargain in the sale I tend to stock up on larger sizes for future school years. A good plan you would think..... except when the school changes its uniform and we went from navy blue to royal blue....blow!!

This sweet cardi was luckily the only casualty and at £2 in the sale not a problem. It's rather lovely in its own right and being cotton is so soft, I decided though that a little bit of pimping up might be in order.......... so I grabbed some ribbon and buttons and spent half an hour stitching and I was done .........

..I think she likes it..... it cheered her up when she returned home from a scoot with a cut knee.....

Next on the agenda to be pimped up, a thrifted cord skirt. Thank you so much for all you lovely comments on my cowl...I'm inspired and it has to be said hooked... more granny squares are already in progress... and just look what Mum gave me yesterday....her stash of cotton yarn.....oh lucky lucky me....Mum's really are the best!!

11 March 2014

Did you hear me squeal last night........well it was probably more of a sigh of relief. Back in the summer I took a bag of yarn on holiday and with the help of mum learnt to crochet. As my first project I decided, why not make a blanket......I returned from holiday and carried on making the squares. My bag of crochet came on several days out and as the Autumn evenings turned cooler, my little pile grew, until whoosh, one night I felt totally overwhelmed.......a blanket was I mad, at the speed I was going it would take years to complete..... so faced with this enormous task, I did what every sensible person does.... packed it up and put it away. Every now and then I would take a peek inside the bag and touch the lovely soft cotton and then I would zip it up and forget all about it.

Weeks turned in to months until Friday night, I unzipped the bag, actually took the squares out, lay them on the floor and all of a sudden I knew what to do......I needed to have a finished project, something that could be easily and quickly achieved...a scarf...no, a cowl. So this weekend I set too sewing the squares together, there's no set pattern, I simply picked the best and most even of what I had made and made sure that the same colour didn't touch. I then added a pretty scallop border which I found HERE and Ta Dah....my first ever completed crochet project.........

It's bright and colourful and has made me very happy indeed..........oh yes!!

From what I have left......this little stack of squares will at some point become another scarf or cowl ......

........but remaining squares, the ones where the tension was a bit a rubbish, I am going to pull them apart and have a go at making something like this cushion (it's from an old edition of Molly Makes)

Hello, my name is Sarah, I'm a mum, wife, purveyor of pretty fabrics and trims, fabric addict, quilter, happy stitcher and home maker. This blog is all about my hopes and dreams for my family and our family business..... it's a little happy place!

A polite notice.....

If you wish to feature my pictures, brilliant!! ....but please do be considerate and ensure that my copyrighted material is credited to me as 'A little happy place', and linked back to me. I would ask that you please do not reprint my writing without asking me first for permission and finally and in no uncertain terms, using pictures of my children is strictly prohibited! Thank you for your understanding.